Pool funds go down the drain

By Scott Merzbach
Staff Writer

Published on May 22, 2009

Funding for the War Memorial Pool is being eliminated from the proposed municipal budget, despite appeals from some in the community to keep both outdoor pools open this summer.

The Select Board Monday voted unanimously to endorse Town Manager Larry Shaffer's $18.5 million budget proposal for fiscal year 2010, which includes removal of the $41,840 in tax support needed for the downtown pool.

This would leave the pool at the Mill River Recreation Area in North Amherst as the only full-sized pool open during the summer, though wading pools would still be available for younger children at Mill River, War Memorial and Groff Park.

Shaffer said his initial $19.2 million budget proposal, released on Jan. 16, included funding for War Memorial Pool, located near the high school, and he intended to keep it open. A deteriorating budget picture, in which state aid to Amherst is expected to be significantly reduced, prompted the decision to put the pool on a list of what are being called "tier 2" cuts, totalling $570,736.

"There's just not enough dollars to go around," Shaffer said.

But Select Board member Gerry Weiss said he isn't sure residents are prepared for having more limited recreational opportunities that would result from closing the pool. "The pool is actually a deep amount of pain for a lot of people," Weiss said.

Its central location - and opportunities for summer employment for teenagers and college students - makes it important to retain, said board member Diana Stein. "For so many reasons, keeping the pool open makes much more sense than closing it," Stein said.

In the past, supporters of the pool have argued that many families would find it difficult to get to Mill River to use the pool there.

Chairwoman Stephanie O'Keeffe said the municipal budget is so out of balance that she couldn't go to the mat to save War Memorial Pool.

Town officials are already girding for two more rounds of cuts adding up to $952,500, $837,214 of which would result if state aid doesn't increase and municipal reserves are not used. "We're kind of assuming the cuts will go deeper than those already specified," O'Keeffe said.

Though Weiss and Stein wanted to remove the pool from Shaffer's probable "tier 2" cut list, they relented after Shaffer said as many as 25 full-time employees could be lost through further budget cuts. Shaffer said he is not yet publicly identifying which of the 200 employees on the town side might be laid off, and he hasn't decided what programs should be eliminated or just reduced in size.

He also explained that if the town went ahead with funding the pool and deeper cuts to the municipal budget were needed later, the pool might have to close after the process of hiring lifeguards had begun.

Community support for War Memorial Pool has been demonstrated the last several years when efforts have been made to close the 1950s-era facility. Two years ago, Town Meeting successfully saved the pool, but it wasn't open to the public until later in the season. Last year, the Select Board reinstated funding, making it a top priority, after Shaffer had dropped it from his budget plan.

This year, the board didn't identify War Memorial Pool as a priority for funding because it had been assumed money would be available for its operation.

Jim Oldham, a Town Meeting member from Precinct 5, reminded the Select Board that, no matter its recommendation, Town Meeting has voted in favor of funding for War Memorial Pool.

"That kind of statement by the legislative body of the town needs to be respected," Oldham said.

Carol Gray, a library trustee and Town Meeting member, urged Shaffer to restore both pools to the budget, noting the overwhelming support they have won from the community.

Dave Keenan, of Shays Street, said he believes there are other places to cut in the budget, and the possible pool closing shows a lack of respect to the community on Shaffer's part. "If he closes down the pools, we will open them again," Keenan said.

Shaffer said the pool is both creaky and old and would need to have a leak repaired at a cost of $10,000 before opening.

"It's really at the end of its life," Shaffer said. "We're talking about the weakest link in our swimming arsenal."

Assuming the closing moves forward, Shaffer said the plan would be to mothball the facility this season.

This would give the town time to decide whether to permanently abandon the pool, make a capital investment to restore the pool or have a capital outlay for building a spray park in its place.

Shaffer said he sees the spray park as a way to attract even more people.

The board's recommendation in support of the manager's budget will be given to the Finance Committee, which is expected to finalize its report to Town Meeting May 28.

While O'Keeffe said her board could reconsider its position on the pool, this would depend on the budget scenario improving through the addition of more state aid and other local revenue sources.